Cooler with refrigerant and water separating means



Oct 18, 1966 w. T. OSBORNE 3,279,210

CO LER WITH REFRIGERANT AND WATER SEPARATING MEANS Filed June 25, 1964 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. WILLIAM T. OSBORNE.

"MM KM ATTORNEY.

Oct. 18, 1966 w. T. OSBORNE 3,279,210 COOLER WITH REFRIGERANT AND WATERSEPARATI NG MEANS Filed June 23, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L M 8 N @E N m mI E m s f I. p m 0 o o M o 0 OH T f H J mm o o o o n HF r a a o W M W LI III L T A mm 5 o m i/ J O o o n Y M 4 Ow u o o 0 H B A 0 o o o 0 OH RHmm 0 o a To 0 0 .mn p wm mm al -m 1 F 6 mm w n m Nw QmUIIJ J f k .i mm hx mm J\ F: I I PM 0 lfi) I- F 8T 6 3 I m u 4 i U u u om L I mm n? J f. 8A I 2 M3 ow -m om mm .mm m m mm F HIl :E s m 0E ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,279,210 COULER WllTH REFRTGERANT AND WATERSEPARATHNG MEANS William T. Osborne, yracuse, N.Y., assignor to CarrierCorporation, Syracuse, N.Y., a corporation of Delaare Filed .lune 23,1964, Ser. No. 377,317 12 Claims. (Cl. 62-474) This invention relatesgenerally to a heating and cooling system and, more particularly, to acooler in such a system wherein a power fluid drives a refrigerantcompressor and portions of the refrigerant and power fluids are mixedand then separated in the cooler and reused in the system.

Various types of refrigeration systems, such as absorp' tion systems andrefrigerant compressor systems, are well known in the art. Theconstruction, components and relative association of the components, aswell as the operating characteristics of such systems are also wellknown. However, each system has certain disadvantages as well asparticular advantages, but attempts to provide a system combining theadvantages of the accepted system while avoiding their disadvantages hasresulted in systems which were impractical.

In a copending patent application of Louis H. Leonard for a Heating andCooling System, Serial No. 377,258, and filed on the same date as thepresent application, a refrigeration system is disclosed whereinrefrigerant fluid and power fluid are immiscible with each other andupon being mixed may be separated. Control of the capacity of apparatusemploying the system is achieved by mixing refrigerant fluid and steampower fluid.

A problem in many refrigeration systems employing fluid motors,particularly systems employing a steam driven turbocompressor, is thatof preventing leakage of refrigerant into the steam side of the systemand leakage of steam into the refrigerant side of the system. However,prior expedients for handling and separating such mixed fluids werefound to be inadequate, particularly in providing a compact and reliablerefrigeration system.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a new and improvedcooler for a refrigeration system. A related object is to provide such acooler having provision for separating fluids in a refrigeration system.Another related object is provision of such a cooler having improvedfluid handling and efliciency characteristics.

A still further object is provision in a new and improved cooler foreffectively introducing and distributing refrigerant, and for handlingthe refrigerant to effectively prevent liquid refrigerant from beingwithdrawn from the cooler into the suction line.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a flow diagram of a heating and cooling system incorporatinga preferred embodiment of the improved cooler forming the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a broken plan view of the cooler taken generally along theline 11-11 in FIGURE 3 with the upper portion of the cooler shellremoved for clearer illustration;

FIGURE 3 is a broken sectional side view of the cooler taken generallyalong the line III-III in FIGURE 2, with the cooler shell broken awayfor clearer illustration; and

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken generally along the linelV-IV in FIGURE 3.

The illustrated heating and cooling system may provide cooling, heating,or simultaneous heating and cooling. The system is preferably hermeticso that fluids in the Patented Oct. 18, 1966 tCC system cannot escapeand ambient air cannot enter the system, and the system may beconsidered as having a power side including a circuit for thecirculation of a power fluid, a refrigerant side including a circuit forthe flow of a refrigerant fluid under the influence of drive meansdriven by the power fluid, with the operation of the system regulated bya control system.

The invention will be described with reference to a preferred powerfluid, which is water, and a preferred refrigerant, which isoctafluorocyclobu-tane, commonly referred to as C318 and having achemical formula C F These fluids are particularly preferred because oftheir relative immiscibility and because they are inherently highlystable and do not tend to decompose or chemically react with each otheror other materials in the system, or cause or promote corrosion orundesirable by-products. Also, this refrigerant is a relativelynoncontlensible vapor at the temperatures and pressures at which thepower fluid (water) condenses, as well as at the usual ambientatmospheric conditions of temperature and pressure. However, other powerfluids and refrigerants having these desired chemical and physicalproperties may be utilized within the scope of this invention.

As illustrated in the drawing, the power side includes a suitable steamgenerator 18 which supplies steam at a substantially constant pressurep.s.i.g., for example) as controlled by a constant pressure regulatingvalve 19 in a steam supply line 20 to drive means in the form of aturbocornpressor 21, and more particularly a turbine 22 which dischargessteam through a discharge line 23 to a steam condenser 24. A steamcondensate pump 25 returns the steam condensate through a return line 26from the steam condenser 24 to the steam generator 18 for recirculationthrough the power side of the system. The turbocompressor 21 includes arefrigerant compressor 27 and has flow restricting means in the form oflabyrinth-type seals, as 28, for retarding leakage of steam andrefrigerant from the turbine 22 and the compressor 27, respectively, andwater lubricated bearings, as 29. The steam condensate pump 25 pumpssteam condensate through a lubricant water line 30 including a lubricantcooling heat exchanger 31 for lubricating the bearings 29. Leakage fromthe turbine and compressor, and water from the bearings 29, passes intoa chamber 32 and through a drain line 32' to the condensate chamber 64of the steam condenser 24.

The refrigerant side of the system includes the refrigerant compressor27 of the turbocompressor 21. The compressor 27 is drivingly connectedwith the turbine 22 for passing compressed refrigerant vapor to arefrigerant condenser 33. Condensed refrigerant passes from therefrigerant condenser 33 to a refrigerant subcooler 34 and through asuitable refrigerant flow restricting means 35 into an evaporator orcooler 36, from which the refrigerant vapor is withdrawn by therefrigerant compressor through an outlet to a suction line 37, thuscomp1eting the refrigerant circuit of the system. The cooler includes awater supply sump 38 and provides means for separating water andrefrigerant. From the cooler the separated fluids are returned for reusein the system. A chilled water line 39 has leaving and returningbranches which open into headers 39' (FIGURES 2 and 3) for communicationwith a tube bundle 40 in the cooler 36,

for carrying a heat exchange medium here in the form of chilled water,which is cooled by the refrigerant and circulated by a chilled waterpump 41 to an area having a cooling requirement. The cooling capacity ofthe system varies in proportion to the compressor output and in generalspeed.

A cooling tower or condensing water pump 42 circulates tower waterthrough an inlet line 43 to the refrigerant subcooler 34 and into therefrigerant condenser 33 and then the steam condenser 24 and back to thetower through an outlet line 44. A branch line 45 in the condensingwater inlet line 43 provides water to the lubricant water heat exchanger31 for cooling the lubricant water, and this branch terminates in thereturn line 44 to the tower. In general, control of condensing watertemperature and flow rate is unncessary, thus effectively minimizingscaling of condensing surfaces in the condenser.

The control system regulates the cooling and simultaneous cooling andheating capacities of the refrigeration system by varying the steamcondenser pressure which is related to the condensing rate of steamdischarged into the steam condenser 24, to vary the turbine speed andtherefore the refrigerant delivery rate of the compressor. Thecondensing rate of the steam condenser is regulated by controlledblanketing of a first condensing portion or tube bundle 46 with anoneondensible vapor, herein refrigerant vapor, introduced through arefrigerant line 47 from the cooler 36.

The quantity of noncondensible vapor effectively blanketing the firstcondensing portion 46 of the steam con denser is regulated by amodulating refrigerant fiow regulating valve 48 in the line 47. Thevalve 48 is actuated responsive to leaving chilled water temperature bymeans of a temperature sensor 49 on a leaving branch of the chilledwater line 39. For example, as the cooling load drops, more refrigerantis introduced into the steam condenser 24, thus reducing the steamcondensing rate to increase the steam condenser pressure and thereforethe turbine back pressure to reduce the turbocompressor speed andrefrigerant discharge rate of the compressor.

A purge system withdraws refrigerant from the steam condenser 24,preferably at a constant rate. Herein a constant speed water supply pump50 in a water line 51 recirculates impeller water from the cooler sump38 for operating a jet pump 52 in the sump to withdraw noncondensiblevapor from the steam condenser 24 through a purge line 53 opening intothe throat of the jet pump 52. The water supply pump 50 further providesmake-up water for the steam generator 18 through a make-up water line 54to the steam condenser 24.

Simultaneous heating and cooling, wherein the heating and coolingcapacities of the system vary inversely of each other, is provided. Asecond condensing portion or tube bundle 55 in the steam condenser 24 ismaintained effectively free of blanketing by refrigerant vapor tomaintain its full condensing capacity and maximum heating of a heatingmedium, herein water, recirculated through the bundle 55 and to a loadto be heated by means of a heating water pump 56 in a heating line 57 tothe area having a heating requirement.

The refrigerant injected into the steam condenser to blanket the firstcondensing portion 46 enters the steam condenser through a refrigerantport 60 at the end of the refrigerant line 47 within one end of thesteam condenser 24 between the first condensing tube bundle 46 and thesecond condensing tube bundle 55 at adjacent ends of the bundles. Abaffle 61 extends between upper and lower portions of the steamcondenser between the first and second condensing tube bundles 46 and55, to prevent the flow of fluids therebetween except in a limited areaof communication 62 at the refrigerant port 60. The entering steam firstflows from the discharge line 23 through a steam condenser inlet port 63at an end of the condenser 24 opposite the area of limited communication62, and across the second condensing tube bundle 55, then through thearea of limited communication 62 and past the refrigerant inlet port 60,and then past the first condensing bundle 46. The refrigerant vaporentering the steam condenser 24 is drawn across the tubes of the firstcondensing bundle 46, and in the illustrated embodiment at least some ofthe tubes are effectively enveloped by refrigerant vapor therebyinsulating the tubes of the first condensing bundle from the steam toreduce the steam condensing capacity. A condensate chamber 64 of thesteam condenser 24 is in communication with the interior of a body shell65 of the steam condenser through a port 66 at the bottom of thecondenser and at the same end of the condenser as the steam inlet port63. The drain line 32, the make-up water line 54- and the condensatereturn line 26 open into the chamber 64. Thus, the turbocompressorchamber 32, the steam discharge passage 23, the drain 32, and the steamcondenser 24 are all at substantially the same pressure, that is, thesteam condenser pressure which is normally below ambient atmosphericpressure-during normal cooling operation.

The purge line 53 opens into the steam condensate chamber 64 at a levelto return the steam condensate from the chamber 64 to the cooler sump 38should the condensate level in the chamber rise too high. Responsive toa low condensate level in the condensate chamber, a float actuatedsensor 67 in the chamber opens a normally closed shutoff valve 68 in themake-up water line 54 from the water supply pump 50, to maintain aminimum level of condensate in the chamber 64.

At high cooling capacity, only a small quantity of refrigerant is in thesteam condenser 24 to blanket the first condensing portion 46 so thatthe steam condenser pressure is low and the temperature of saturatedsteam entering the condenser is correspondingly low. Therefore, thetemperature of the water in the second condensing portion 55 is low andlittle heat is provided for the load to be heated. Conversely, when thecooling capacity is low the heating capacity is high.

In the illustrated embodiment, a shell 77 of the refrigerant condenser33 envelopes the steam condenser shell 65 so that refrigerant, which isnormally above atmospheric pressure in the refrigerant condenser 33,effectively prevents the entry of ambient air into the steam condenser24 and insulates the steam condenser during winter heating operation tofacilitate maximum heating of the second tube bundle 55. Any refrigerantdrawn into the steam condenser from the refrigerant condenser is removedby the purge. A condensing tube bundle 78 in the refrigerant condenser33 receives tower water from the refrigerant subcooler 34 and passes theWater to the steam condenser first condensing bundle 46, so that thesebundles are in series.

Responsive to the turbine 22 driving the compressor 27, refrigerantvapor is compressed and passes through a compressor discharge line 79and into the refrigerant condenser 33 where it is condensed and cooled.The refrigerant condensate flows through a refrigerant condensate line80 into the refrigerant subcooler 34 from which it passes through therefrigerant flow restricting means 35, here in the form of a float valveunit, and flows through a cooler refrigerant supply line 81 and into acooler refrigerant inlet 82 extending through a shell 83 of the cooler36. A suitable equalizer line 84 connects the fioat valve unit chamberand the refrigerant condenser.

With particular reference to FIGURES 2, 3, and 4, the refrigerant inlet82 opens into a receiving chamber 84' in a pan 85 between a bottom wall86 of the pan and a perforated plate 87 extending from the left end ofthe pan. The perforations in the plate distributes the incomingrefrigerant at a relatively high velocity to agitate the liquidrefrigerant in the pan, as is more fully described in a copending patentapplication of William E. Clark for Refrigeration Apparatus, UnitedStates Serial No. 281,- 400, filed May 20, 1963. The area ofperforations in the plate 87 is horizontally spaced from the refrigerantvapor outlet to the suction line 37 at one end of the cooler shell 83 toprovide a relatively quiet area of liquid below the outlet, so that anyspray of liquid refrigerant from the turbulent area resulting frominjecting the refrigerant through the perforations in the plate 87 isaway from the outlet and is therefore effectively prevented fromentering the refrigerant outlet. The pan is above the bottom of thecooler shell 83 which defines the sump 38,

and effectively seals upper and lower portions of the shell 83 from eachother except at the left end of the cooler. The chilled water bundle 40is in the pan 85 so that during normal cooling operation of the system,the bundle is flooded by boiling refrigerant. As the refrigerantvaporizes, it passes into a refrigerant chamber 88 in the upper portionof the cooler shell 83 above the pan 85 and is returned to thecompressor 27 through the refrigerant suction line 37 which opens intoan upper portion of the refrigerant chamber 83.

During cooling operation of the system, hot vapor passed from the steamcondenser 24 through the purge line 53 to the sump 38 causes the waterin the sump to be at least F. above the temperature of the refrigerantchamber 88, which is above the boiling point of the refrigerant, so thatrefrigerant in the sump is a vapor. The fluid ejected from the jet pump52 may be directed against the bottom of the pan to lower thetemperature of the sump water. Refrigerant vapor in the sump, and anywater vapor carried with the refrigerant vapor, passes upwardly about afree left end wall 89 of the refrigerant pan 85 and passes over therefrigerant pan so that the water vapor may condense and settle onto theliquid refrigerant in the pan, as the refrigerant vapor is withdrawnthrough the outlet to the suction line 37.

Water in the refrigerant chamber 8% collects on top of the liquidrefrigerant in the pan 85 and passes to the left end of the pan fromwhich it flows through a suitable weir, or upper ports 99 in a generallyvertical, diagonal partition 91 between the left end wall 89 and a sidewall 92 of the pan, and passes into a compartment 93 separate from amain portion 94 of the pan which contains the chilled water bundle 40.The ports 90 are at slightly different elevations such that water andsome refrigerant in the pan main portion 94 will flow therethrough andacross the upper edge 96 of the partition 91 and into the compartment93. A port 97 at the lower end of the partition 91 permits passage ofrefrigerant from the compartment 93 to the main portion of the pan toprovide slight circulation in the compartment. The chilled water tubebundle 40 is outside the compartment 93 and is spaced inwardly from theportion of the left end wall 89 at the compartment, to form a relativelyquiet area of liquid refrigerant upon which water in the pan collects ina quiet pool. The portion of the plate 87 which forms the bottom of thecompartment 93 is devoid of perforations. A port or weir 98 in the panend wall 89 opens into the compartment 93 at an elevation for passingwater from the compartment into the sump. The density of the refrigerantin the compartment 93 is greater than in the boiling body of refrigerantexposed to the chilled water bundle 40 in the pan main portion 94 sothat the refrigerant liquid level is lower in the compartment, andtherefore the weir 98 may be slightly lower than the partition upperports 90. Water in the sump 38 is returned to the power side of thesystem through the make-up water line 54 as controlled by the floatactuated sensor 67. Thus, means is provided for separating water andrefrigerant and returning the separated fluids for reuse in the system.

When it is desired to provide only heating, as for winter heating, thecondensing water pump 42 is shut off and valve means 99 in the steamsupply line to the turbocompressor 21 is adjusted so that the steambypasses the turbine 22 and is injected through a bypass line 100 intothe steam condenser 24 for heating the second condensing portion 55.During winter heating, the heating capacity of the system is preferablycontrolled by regulating the fuel to the steam generator 18.

During winter heating operation, refrigerant may migrate into the steamcondenser 24, as from the refrigerant condenser 33 or through theturbine drain 32', and must be removed from the steam condenser alongwith any residual refrigerant therein in order to effect maximum heatingof the second tube bundle 55 which provides hot water to the load to beheated. The noncondensible refrigerant vapor is withdrawn through thepurge line 53, and the water supply pump 50 is therefore in operation toprovide impeller water for the jet pump 52.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described andillustrated, it will be understood that the invention is not limitedthereto since it may be otherwise embodied within the scope of thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. For use in a refrigeration system, a cooler having provision forseparating water and refrigerant having a boiling point lower thanwater, said cooler comprising, enclosing means, means dividing saidenclosing means into a water sump and a refrigerant chamber in limitedcommunication with each other for the passage of vapor from said sump tosaid refrigerant chamber and for the passage of water from saidrefrigerant chamber to said sump, conduit means in said refrigerantchamber for providing cooling to a load, means for the passage ofrefrigerant and water into said enclosing means, means communicatingwith said refrigerant chamber for the passage of refrigerant vapor fromsaid enclosing means, and means opening into said sump for the passageof water from said enclosing means, whereby during normal operation ofthe cooler said refrigerant chamber and said sump are at substantiallythe same pressure and the temperature range in the cooler is below theboiling point of water and above the boiling point of refrigerant, andwater in the refrigerant chamber passes into the sump and refrigerant inthe sump passes into the refrigerant chamber, thereby separating thewater and refrigerant.

2. For use in a refrigeration system, a cooler having provision forseparating water and refrigerant fluid having a higher boilingtemperature than water, said cooler comprising, a cooler shell, dividermeans dividing said shell into a water sump in the lower portion of theshell and thereabove a refrigerant chamber, said divider means beingpositioned for collecting water in said refrigerant chamber, conduitmeans in said refrigerant chamber for providing cooling to a load, meansfor the passage of refrigerant into said refrigerant chamber, means forthe passage of water and refrigerant into said sump, vapor passage meansfor the passage of refrigerant vapor from said sump into saidrefrigerant chamber, other means for the passage of water from saiddivider means into said sump, whereby during normal operation of thecooler said refrigerant chamber and said sump are at substantially thesame pressure and the temperature range in the cooler is below theboiling temperature of water and above the boiling temperature ofrefrigerant and water in the refrigerant chamber collects on saiddivider means and passes into said sum-p, and refrigerant in said sumpvaporizes and passes into said refrigerant chamber, thereby separatingthe refrigerant and water.

3. The system of claim 2 and means opening into said refrigerant chamberfor the passage of refrigerant vapor from said shell, and means openinginto said sump for the passage of water from said shell.

4. The cooler of claim 2 wherein the refrigerant liquid is heavier thanwater, said divider means including a pan for holding liquid refrigerantand collecting said water in said refrigerant chamber, said chilledconduit means being positioned in said pan to :be flooded by boilingrefrigerant and being spaced from an end of said pan for forming arelatively quiet pool of water floating on refrigerant at the pan end,and said other means being at said pan end for the passage of water fromthe pool to said sump.

5. The cooler of claim 4, and said vapor passage means comprising an endof said pan spaced from. said shell to provide communication betweensaid sump and said refrigerant chamber for said passage of therefrigerant vapor from said sump into said refrigerant chamber.

6. The cooler of claim 5, and said vapor passage means including meansdefining a compartment at said end of said pan for collecting saidrelatively quiet pool of Water,

7 said chilled conduit means being in a main portion of said pan outsidesaid compartment, and means for the passage of refrigerant liquid andwater between said main portion and said compartment, whereby the waterfloats on the refrigerant in said compartment.

7. The cooler of claim 6, and said compartment being separated from themain portion of said pan by a partition, means for the passage of waterat an upper portion thereof from the main portion of the pan into thecompartment, and for the passage of refrigerant at a lower portionthereof between the compartment and the main portion of the pan.

8. For use in a refrigeration system, a cooler having provision forseparating refrigerant and water lighter than and having a higherboiling temperature than the refrigerant, comprising, a cooler shell, agenerally horizontal pan in substantially sealed engagement with saidshell from an end of said shell to an end wall of the pan spaced from anadjacent end of said shell to provide a passage for refrigerant vaporbetween the end Wall and the shell, said pan being spaced above a bottomportion of said shell to provide a sunrp in the bottom portion of theshell for water and a refrigerant chamber in an upper portion of saidshell for refrigerant vapor, a chilled water tube bundle in said pan andspaced inwardly from said end wall, for circulating chilled Water tocool a load, means forming a refrigerant inlet opening into said pan forflooding said bundle with liquid refrigerant which vaporizes and passesinto said refrigerant chamber upon cooling the bundle during coolingoperation of the system, means forming a refrigerant outlet opening intosaid refrigerant chamber for passing the refrigerant vapor to a suctionline, means forming a second inlet opening into said sump for passinginto the sump water and refrigerant, means forming a water outletopening into said sump for withdrawing water from the sump, wherebyduring normal operation of the cooler said refrigerant chamber and saidsump are at substantially the same pressure and the temperature range inthe cooler is below the boiling temperature of water and above theboiling temperature of refrigerant, and water collects on liquidrefrigerant in said pan and passes to a quiet pool at said end wall, andrefrigerant vapor passes from said sump through said passage and intosaid refrigerant chamber, and means at said end wall for the passage ofwater from atop said liquid refrigerant through said passage and intosaid sump, thereby separating the refrigerant and the Water.

9. The cooler of claim 8, and a partition between said bundle and saidend Wall to delimit said quiet pool, means at an upper portion of saidpartition for the passage of water into the quiet pool, and means at alower portion of said partition for the passage of liquid refrigerantinto the quiet pool.

10. For use in a refrigeration system, a cooler having lPl'OViSiOl'l forseparating water and refrigerant heavier than and having a lower boilingtemperature than water, comprising, a cooler shell, a generallyhorizontal pan above a bottom portion of said shell and extending insubstantially sealed relationship with said shell at one pan end and toanother pan end to define a water sump in a lower portion of said shelland a refrigerant chamber in an upper portion of said shell, the otherpan end being spaced from said shell for the passage of refrigerantvapor and water vapor carried thereby from said sump into saidrefrigerant chamber, means for the passage of water and refrigerant intosaid sump, means for the passage of water out of said sump, a chilledWater tube bundle in said pan for circulating chilled water to cool aload and spaced horizontally from a portion of said pan at said otherpan end to define a first quiet area for liquid, a refrigerant vaporoutlet opening into an upper portion of said refrigerant chamber at saidone pan end and above said pan for the passage of refrigerant vapor to asuction line and for condensing water vapor as it passes over the panfrom said other pan end to said refrigerant vapor outlet to retard thepassage of the water vapor into said refrigerant vapor outlet, meansdefining a receiving chamber for refrigerant in said pan and including agenerally horizontal plate above the bottom of said pan, said platehaving a perforated area horizontally spaced from said refrigerant vaporoutlet and said first quiet area for distributing liquid refrigerant tosaid bundle and providing a relatively turbulent area of liquidrefrigerant at said perforated area, and a second relatively quiet areaof liquid refrigerant at said one pan end below said refrigerant vaporoutlet, thereby effectively preventing droplets of refrigerant liquidfrom said turbulent area from entering said outlet, a refrigerant inletopening into said receiving chamber for the passage of refrigerantthrough said perforations, whereby water in said refrigerant chambercollects on liquid refrigerant in said pan, and means for the passage ofwater from said first area into said sump, thereby separating therefrigerant and the water for reuse in the system.

11. For use in a refrigeration system, a cooler comprising a coolershell, said shell having a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet,and means within said shell for separating refrigerant and water, saidmeans including a divider dividing said shell into a water sump in alower portion of the shell and a refrigerant chamber in an upper portionof the shell, said divider comprising a pan for liquid refrigerant,means for the passage of refrigerant liquid into said pan, a chilledwater bundle in said pan whereby the bundle is flooded with boilingrefrigerant fluid during normal cooling operation of the system, saidbundle being spaced from an adjacent wall of said pan to provide an areaat said wall for collecting a relatively quiet pool of water andrefrigerant in the refrigerant chamber, and means for the passage ofwater from said pool to said sump and refrigerant vapor from said sumpto said refrigerant chamber.

12. The cooler of claim 11, and means for continuously withdrawing waterfrom said sump during normal operation of the system.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,964,926 12/1960Ware 62-471 2,971,352 2/1961 Parker 62475 3,013,404 12/1961 Endress etal. 62475 X 3,111,819 11/1963 Williams 62471 ROBERT A. OLEARY, PrimaryExaminer.

W. E. WAYNER, Assistant Examiner.

11. FOR USE IN A REFRIGERATION SYSTEM, A COOLER COMPRISING A COOLERSHELL, SAID SHELL HAVING A REFRIGERANT INLET AND A REFRIGERANT OUTLET,AND MEANS WITHIN SAID SHELL FOR SEPARATING REFRIGERANT AND WATER, SAIDMEANS INCLUDING A DIVIDER DIVINDING SAID SHELL INTO A WATER SUMP IN ALOWER PORTION OF THE SHELL AND A REFRIGERANT CHAMBER IN AN UPPER PORTIONOF THE SHELL, SAID DIVIDER COMPRISING A PAN FOR LIQUID REFRIGERANT,MEANS FOR THE PASSAGE OF REFRIGERANT LIQUID INTO SAID PAN, A CHILLEDWATER BUNDLE IN SAID PAN WHEREBY THE BUNDLE IS FLOODED WITH BOILINGREFRIGERANT FLUID DURING NORMAL COOLING OPERATION OF THE SYSTEM, SAIDBUNDLE BEING SPACED FROM AN ADJACENT WALL OF SAID PAN TO PROVIDE AN AREAAT SAID WALL FOR COLLECTING A RELATIVELY QUIET POOL OF WATER ANDREFRIGERANT IN THE REFRIGERANT CHAMBER, AND MEANS FOR THE PASSGE OFWATER FROM SAID POOL TO SAID SUMP AND REFRIGERANT VAPOR FROM SAID SUMPTO SAID REFRIGERANT CHAMBER.